


And So It Starts

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, First Date, First Kiss, dining out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-11 23:22:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5645548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kingsley asks Hermione out to dinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And So It Starts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Inell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inell/gifts).



> For inell who asked for any of: raindrops, kisses, caress, rendezvous, feather, scarf. I think I managed all but one. Originally posted to Livejournal in 2007.

_7pm. The Bell Inn. KS._

Hermione stared down at the note in some trepidation. Surely it was just a meeting between two like-minded colleagues? There was no reason to think that it was going to be anything more than that, right? At times like this Hermione really wished she had some female friends to confide in – Tonks was too wrapped up in the fall out from breaking up with Remus, Molly was…well _old_ and Luna was, well, Luna. And Ginny was off on honeymoon with Harry and nothing would make her interrupt their well-deserved break.

So that only left her to rely on her own judgement. And right now she didn’t know what to make of it. She’d assumed when Kingsley passed her the latest edition of Snape’s journal _Elite Potionmasters_ that he thought there was a journal article she could use in her research into lycanthropy. Instead, as she opened the pages in the privacy of her room the note had fallen out.

But it was only to discuss work. Wasn’t it? But then…why be so secretive about it?

She had to admit that she did like Kingsley. He was attractive, but more importantly he was funny and treated her like an adult, not as if she were still a child. Not like Arthur and Molly, who still treated Harry as someone to be coddled, despite the death of Voldemort. But Kingsley had always treated her, treated them all, with respect. And he did have a lovely smile.

Which was more than likely the reason why she was standing out here, dressed in neat clothes, but not _too_ smart, outside The Bell Inn, scarf wrapped tightly around her to keep out the cold. Was she really going to go in there and meet him? What if he wanted…what if he wanted more than she was prepared to give?

“Hermione?”

Hermione whirled round to face the speaker – Kingsley himself. She found herself blushing and when she realised the heat kept burning her face and she was suddenly even more self-conscious. Kingsley smiled and Hermione wished she could interpret it.

“Shall we go inside?” he asked her, as the heavens opened and raindrops began falling all around them.

“Inside?” Hermione repeated foolishly, wishing not for the first time that everything could be learned from books.

“If you want to stay dry, it’s probably best,” Kingsley smiled and Hermione felt something stir within her.

“Oh, right.”

“Follow me, I’ve booked us a table.”

Kingsley strolled confidently across the street and Hermione followed, a little shyly at first and then gathering confidence as they entered the pub and were seated at a wooden table in a quiet corner, candles floating above them.

“Here’s your menu. Would you like anything to drink?” The serving witch asked them, flicking her hair slightly in Kingsley's direction. Kingsley moved his seat closer to Hermione and replied with “just a beer”. Hermione asked for a pumpkin juice and couldn’t help a slight smile as the waitress seemed put out at Kingsley’s behaviour.

They sat in companionable silence, each carefully reading the menu as the waitress put their drinks before them and disappeared with a scowl when Kingsley paid her no attention. Hermione had to take a deep breath to stop her hands shaking. Even when facing down Voldemort her hands hadn’t shaken this much. Kingsley, on seeing her discomfort, placed his own hand on top of one of hers, and gently stroked his thumb against her wrist.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

“I’m not nervous,” Hermione replied.

“I can see that,” Kingsley smiled, still not letting go of Hermione’s hand.

Hermione blushed deep red. “So, what did you want to…discuss?”

“I just thought you could do with a treat.”

Hermione raised her eyebrows, a trait she’d picked up from hours spent poring over books with Snape. Kingsley grinned even wider.

“You work too hard. And I wanted to spend some time with you. Outside of work.”

There really wasn’t anything Hermione could say to that, so she remained silent, but pleased.

Their meal arrived soon after and following an initial hesitancy on Hermione’s part she soon relaxed enough to enjoy Kingsley’s company. She found that they had a surprisingly large amount of things in common – they’d both excelled at school, they both had spent a long time amongst Muggles, they both had very strong ideas about right and wrong. They both loved bananas and custard too, which Kingsley immediately arranged to have delivered to them and which they devoured in record time.

“This has been really fun,” Hermione told him, her leg accidentally bumping against her companion’s. “We should do it again some time…if you’d like?”

“I’d like that very much. Are you sure you don’t want to stay a bit longer?” he asked her as he helped her slip into her coat.

“Thank you, but I really do have to be up early tomorrow.” Hermione beamed; Kingsley had easily dispelled all her nerves and now she was so comfortable that she knew leaving now would be best. She didn’t want to give him the wrong impression after all.

“All right. I’ll owl you soon, then,” and before Hermione could reply he gently took her head in her hands and leaned in to kiss her. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart as she gently opened her mouth and kissed him back. When they pulled apart they were both panting.

“So…is tomorrow too soon for another date?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Kingsley slowly kissed her again and then took a step back, hands clenched at his sides so he wouldn’t reach out and tell her never to leave. “I’ll owl you.”

Hermione nodded quickly, hands clenched at her sides so she wouldn’t reach out and tell him that she didn’t want to leave. “I’ll look forward to it.”

And with a deep breath she stepped into the fire and back to her house, a smile never leaving her face.


End file.
